There’s nothing like Nashville in July-August to wear you out. And there are no ballads in this week’s column to cool you off.

The new sounds from Bomshel, Randy Travis, Montgomery Gentry and Marlee Scott are particularly hot stuff. Justin Moore follows up his tender “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away” with a scorching little attitude tune titled “Bait A Hook.” The boy is on a roll. Hand him a Disc of the Day award.

Perhaps the hottest sounding performance of the day came from some unknown Texans billed as Brad Dunn & Ellis County. They’re an Austin bar band. Their CD shines with promise. Hands down, my DisCovery Award of the week.

BRAD DUNN & ELLIS COUNTY/Red White And BlueWriter: Brad Dunn & Ellis County; Producer: Kevin Szymanski, Brad Dunn & Ellis County; Publisher: none listed; BD (track) (www.reverbnation.com/bradleyddunn)—The grinding groove makes it sound kind of like a countrified ZZ Top. The title refers to the Texas state flag, and everything about this screams Lone Star State roadhouse rawk. The song and performance are both loaded with sweaty macho attitude. I’ll bet these guys are great live. Even the ballads on the band’s Ranch Cat album seethe with personality and individuality.

MONTGOMERY GENTRY/Where I Come FromWriter: Rodney Clawson/Dallas Davidson; Producer: Michael Knox; Publisher: Big Red Toe/Amarillo Sky/EMI Blackwood/String Stretcher, BMI; Average Joe (CDX) (615-733-9983)—Pretty much what you might expect from the title—a defense of the small-town, countrified lifestyle. It is better written than most songs like this, and the boys deliver it with their trademarked propulsive punch.